DHAKA: A Dhaka special court on Monday (Jan 21) adjourned till February 4 the indictment hearing in Niko corruption case filed against 11 people, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Dhaka Special Court-9 Judge Mahmudul Kabir set the date after taking partial charge hearing on behalf of an accused Barrister Moudud Ahmed. 

Earlier, Jail authority brought the BNP Chairperson to the court around 12:30pm and she was seen to sit silently.
 
On January 3, Khaleda expressed her dissatisfaction towards the court for setting up it at jail. 

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Former secretaries Md Shafiur Rahman, Khondker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain and Former President of Dhaka Club Selim Bhuiyan are among the prime accused of the case. 

Another three accused—Former secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Former General Manager of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited (BAPEX) Meer Moinul Haque and Niko South Asia Affairs Vice President Kashem Sharif are absconding.

On December 9 in 2007, the ACC filed the case accusing the 11 people over misusing power to grant a gas deal to Canadian company Niko when Khaleda was the prime minister of Bangladesh between 2001 and 2006.

BDST: 1732 HRS, JAN 21, 2019
RS/SMS